# Medicare-X Choice Act Summary
This bill establishes a new public health insurance plan called the Medicare Exchange Health Plan to provide affordable coverage options for uninsured Americans. The plan would launch in select rating areas starting in 2026, expanding nationwide by 2029, with priority given to areas lacking insurance competition or facing high healthcare costs. The legislation appropriates $2 billion in startup funding for 2025, split between establishing the plan and developing technology and data systems needed to set premiums.
The new plan would be available through existing healthcare exchanges and would cover primary care without cost-sharing requirements. Healthcare providers participating in Medicare or Medicaid would be required to participate in the new plan starting in 2026, though they can opt out under exceptional circumstances. The plan's payment rates would largely follow Medicare rates, though the Secretary could negotiate drug prices separately and adjust rural rates by up to 50 percent higher. The bill also expands the existing healthcare tax credit to cover families earning above 400 percent of the poverty line and removes previous income caps for tax credits.
Additionally, the legislation authorizes $10 billion in reinsurance funding for 2026 through 2028 to help reduce premiums across all individual health insurance markets. The bill allocates $150 million for antitrust enforcement in healthcare markets over five years and requires a comprehensive study within two years on whether to cover additional services like dental, vision, hearing, and long-term care.
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